The world today offers opportunity to all disciples to become world disciples, close to the Master's heart, and to pass rapidly through the earlier stages of discipleship. It offers opportunity to world disciples to begin their approach to the Heart of the Hierarchy. It is with this first possibility that you should be concerned, for - as you come closer to your group - you can begin to get that training, which will develop in you world usefulness.

Are the majority of you too old to achieve this? That is for you to say. The soul knows no age and can use its instrument if it makes itself into a suitable and available instrument.

Are you too set and too preoccupied with yourselves to achieve the detachment needed for world service? That is for you to find out and to prove to yourselves. The output in devotion and service, demonstrated, should be quite unusual and it should be a group demonstration. I would ask if this is so?

Are you too depressed (which is a synonym for selfishness) and too sensitive to render service to humanity in a larger way than hitherto? That can be overcome if you care enough.

Is your awareness a constant group-awareness? Or is it a constant self-awareness, which comes consistently between you and your fellowmen? That is for you to discover.

Have you the deep humility - based on a realisation of the Plan and the glory of the goal - and not a sense of self-depreciation over which you gloat and regard as an indication of spiritual humility? You need to re-interpret this theme of humility, as well as all your terms, in the light of the esoteric and spiritual values. Can you do this?

Once we referred to "disciples assembling, in this cycle, at the call of the Hierarchy." This has a definite relation at this time to our theme of discipleship and its various stages. "The call of the Hierarchy" goes out to humanity as a whole; it is sent out through the medium of the groups and Ashrams, which are presided over by many of the Masters. It is caught and heard by many different types of people and in their response much distortion of that call creeps in; only the advanced disciple either brings it through correctly or responds adequately. The others respond to partial aspects of the call and their consequent activity is spasmodic, based upon erroneous interpretations, coloured by personality faults, delayed by inertia and often selfishly based. By the response of the disciples in His group or Ashram, the Master gauges the place and status of the disciple, though there are, of course, many other indicatory evidences.

Those who respond to the Call of the Hierarchy

Let us look at some of the types of people who respond to the call. Most of them do so unconsciously but react sympathetically, because something in them synchronises with the call, or because they are sensitive to certain vibratory influences.

True lovers of humanity -

These true lovers of humanity, though they may have absolutely no knowledge of esotericism, yet care enough to do what they can to help. Unconsciously, they can be used by the Hierarchy to do good and efficiently selfless work. They are frequently more constructive than pledged or accepted disciples, because they are unconscious of status, of any responsibility in an Ashram and of their individual importance.

Psychics -

They are everywhere throughout the world and of all kinds. They respond to those upon the astral plane who are catching the higher impression or who telepathically get some aspect of the projected idea. In such cases there is always glamour, distortion and misrepresentation. This causes much trouble but is a force with which the leaders and teachers of humanity must reckon. It affects the least intelligent of the masses of men and does give them some general, even if distorted, idea of the Plan, but is apt to revolt the intellectual, and complicate the work of the trained disciple.

Probationary disciples -

These disciples receive and respond to the impression more promptly and clearly than the above group. They usually receive it through the vision and teaching of a senior disciple. Their service to the Plan is frequently spoiled by their ignorance, their self-centredness and their misrepresentation of the imparted teaching. Their approach both to the truth and to the teacher is too personal.

Accepted disciples -

These disciples get the Master's idea and plans in far greater completeness, but fail often to work them out as they should be in the world of daily living and of service because they are so preoccupied with their own problems as disciples, with their own character training, and with their status in a Master's Ashram and His interest in them. If they would forget themselves, their difficulties and their individual interpretations of truth, and just love their fellowmen and each other, and if they would simply obey to the point of crucifixion the "order of Service," they would pass more rapidly through the various stages of discipleship.

Disciples close to the Master's heart, world disciples and those who are consciously in His aura -

They know His plan, which is the Plan of the Hierarchy as a whole, though emphasising some appropriate aspect. They usually play their part successfully, and their success is largely due to their constant group awareness and to a deep humility and, naturally, to a well-developed intellect and controlled astral body.